The present invention relates to earth-working tools and pertains particularly to retaining means for retaining excavating teeth or the like on a support member.
Replaceable earth-working tools such as digging teeth for excavating implements are well known, as are means for detachably securing such teeth to such implements. Examples of the known prior art are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,385,395 issued Sept. 25, 1945, to Baer; No. 2,874,491 issued Feb. 24, 1959 to Larson; No. 3,371,437 issued Mar. 5, 1968 to Wilson et al; No. 3,413,739 issued Dec. 3, 1968 to Guinot; No. 3,469,332 issued Sept. 30, 1969 to Leffingwell; and No. 3,509,648 issued May 5, 1970 to Smith.
It is desirable that such mounting means be able to take up slack or wear which may occur between the earth-working tool and the supporting member. It is also desirable that the retaining means be such as to be able to take the loads necessary for accomplishing the purpose of the machine or tool. It is necessary that the load be supported on other than the retaining pins since the pins are generally unable to carry the shear loads imposed thereon.
While means are known to the prior art for compensating for such wear, such means require constant adjustment and do not automatically take up certain amounts of slack. Many of the prior art devices also require a very exacting and precise machining in order to properly distribute the load from the tip to the supporting shank.